Cooler arrangement



July 30, 1940. 1.. F. WHITNEY COOLER ARRANGEMENT Filed March 29, 19:58

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A July 30, 1940. 1.. F. WHI TNEY COOLER ARRANGEMENT Filed March 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor, Lyman l W/zz'trzey, y W X WM A tzfs.

M 30, 1940. L. F, W NEY 2,209,866

' COOLER ARRANGEMENT Filed March 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet a v Inventor; Lyman 1? Whitney, fig (M W FKWM A tag:

0, 1940. L. F. WHITNEY COOLER ARRANGEMENT Filed March 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 30, 1940 ,UNITED STATES coousa ARRANGEMENT Lyman F. Whitney;ambridge, Mm, assignor to Comstock & Wescott, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 29, 1938, Serial No. 198,638

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improved coolers or evaporators for refrigerating. systems. More particularly the present invention provides an improved evaporator of the general type disclosed in Wescott Patent No. 1,845,640, such an evaporator being adapted especially for use in low pressure refrigerating systems having a mercury containing propellent circuit and employing an aqueous refrigerant. The operating pressure in such a cooler, for example, may be as low as 3 or 4 mm. of mercury absolute. In accordance with the present invention, a simple structural arrangement of the component parts of the cooler is provided to permit ease and economy of manufacture while allowing relatively high efiiciency and the refrigerant.

the arrangement of the lower part of the cooler impeded and so that sludge may drain to a separating device such as disclosed in my copending United States application, Serial No. 171,325, filed October 2'7, 1937. g m; The cooler may include an upper plate with depending fins which are adapted to extend into a body of liquid refrigerant, while a cooperating casing is provided with side walls joined to the upper plate to complete the enclosure for the refrigerant. This casing preferably has walls which are inclined'at an acute angle to the hori-- zontal upper plate, and in fact itmay resemble an inverted pyramid in shape. A relatively large drain pipe may be connected to the lower part of this casing to cooperate with the slopingwalls thereof in permitting the drainage of a relatively heavy sludge from the cooler. This drain is also arranged to receive condensate from the condenser of the refrigerating system and to return the liquid refrigerant to the cooler, as fully disclosed in the above-identified application. Depending fins upon the exterior of the casing may facilitate heat flow and define passages aiding the proper circulation of air. of the cooler may be provided with extensions to increase the area thereof, thus to afford a surface of substantial area for the reception of ice trays, while, if desired, additional supports for ice trays may be provided at eitherside of the casing. The cooler is provided with a head portion extending upwardly above thesurface of the top plate to afford means for ready connection to a vapor pipe of substantial size through which vapor is drawn from the upper part ofthe 55 cooler.

A further feature of the invention relates to the advantageous arrangement of means to preclude the drainage of condensate from the region of the cooler to a wall-of the food compartment.

Such means may beassociated-with the drain n so that the collection of sludge therein maybe The upper plate which communicates with the bottom of the cooler.

Coolers of this type are particularly adapted for employment in low pressure refrigerating systems which should be effectively sealed against 5 the leakage of atmospheric air. Such systems preferably are tested in the manufacturing plant particularly to brace the plate with which they 15 in heat transfer between the region being cooled are associated, and spacer elements or bars may a be arranged between the fins to cooperate there'- within affording additional rigidity for the plate. Furthermore, the fins, although arranged in this manner, may be provided with suitable openings 20 and may be suitably cut away to permit the ready flow of vapor to the vapor outlet duct.

Further features of the invention relate to advantageous structural features which are hereinafter described. In the accompanying draw- 25 ings;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the cooler, parts being broken away and the position'of certain parts being indicated by dotted lines and dot and dash lines; a 30 Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the cooler;

Fig; 3 is a plan view of the cooler with parts broken away and parts shown in section Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a broken isometric view of the upper plate of the cooler Fig. 6 is an isometric view of one of the ice tray supports;

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the casing member;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of an optional form of cooler with parts broken away and parts shown in section; I

Fig; 9 is a side elevation of the cooler shown in Fig. 8, parts being broken away and shown in section; and v v Fig. 10 is a sectional detail showing an optional ledge arrangement.

Where an especially large ice freezing capacity is desired, a cooler of the type shown in Figs. 1 'to 7' may be provided. Such a cooler ispar- 7 ticularly effective when disposed near the upper part of-a food chamber and between the side walls thereof so that ready circulation of air can take place between these walls and the sidesof the cooler. As shown in Fig. 2 the coolermay comprise an upper plate I which may conven iently be" formed of-steel and may providedepending fins .4 disposed within'the' cooler.

shownin Figs. 3 and 4,-these flns'may be parallel m t to each other and reinforcing or spacer bars 5 may conveniently be secured as by welding to the lower edges of the fins. At each side of the plate, fins 4a, 4b and 4c of less depth than the fins 4 may be provided. Spacer blocks 5a may be provided to hold the lower ends of these fins properly spaced from each other and from the adjoining fins 4. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, certain of the fins 4 may be cut away adjoining the rear of the plate I and openings 6 may be arranged in other fins to permit the flow of vapor from the spaces therebetween. The fins 4, 4a, 4b, and do are arranged so that they may extend into the surface of the liquid refrigerant contained within the cooler, the surface being shown by a heavy dot and dash line in Fig. 4 and being identified by the reference character S.

The cooler also comprises a casing member II) which has side walls secured to the marginal portions of the plate I as by welding. The side walls ll of the casing ill have upper vertical portions which are secured to the margins of the plate I, but the major portions of these side walls are preferably disposed in planes lying at acute angles to the horizontal end at an obtuse angle to each other. The major portions of walls II should preferably each be inclined relative to the plate i at an angle which is at least The front wall i2 and the rear wall l3 (Fig. 2) of the casing may be similarly inclined and may have similar vertically disposed upper portions joined to the plate I. If preferred the inclined portions of the walls 1 I, I2 and i3 may be slightly curved rather than planar as shown. In any case, it is evident that the side walls I I, the front wall l2 and rear wall l3 cooperate to give the casing member, I 0 substantially the form of an inverted pyramid.

The rear wall I 3 of the casing member may be provided with a pressed-out portion l4 inclined upwardly and away from the plane of the major portion of the wall as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Secured to the upper part of this pressed-out portion is a box-like head l5 which is in turn welded to a vapor outlet pipe N3 of substantial diameter.

It is evident that the box-like head I5 is disposed behind the plate I and that it projects above this plate.

The casing member l0 may conveniently be in the form of a sheet metal stamping. Various metals may be employed for this purpose, but I prefer to use a metal sheet having one lamina in the form of stainless steel, the stamping being formed so that a stainless steel surface is disposed at the interior of the casing.

The upper surface of plate I may convenientlyprovide a shelf to support a plurality of ice trays where water is frozen to form ice cubes. In order however to increase the area of this surface, suitable extensions are provided for the plate I. These extensions may be arranged at the sides and the front of the plate, and may be constructed in any desired manner. I prefer however to form the extensions as particularly disclosed in Figs. 3

and 4. A plurality of screws 20, such as woodscrews, may have their heads welded to the vertical upper portions of the side walls I I of the casing l0 and such screws may similarly be secured to the corresponding portion of the front wall l2. Thereupon a suitable metal, such as zinc, may be cast about the screws 20 to ail'ord cast metal extensions 24 having a cross sectional shape such as shown in Fig. 4 and extending about the front and the opposite sides of the plate I. The upper surface of each of these extensions may be coplanar with the upper surface of the plate I. Thus the effective area of this plate is substantially increased so that more and/ or larger ice trays may be supported in heat conductive relation thereto.

A plurality of exterior, vertically disposed fins 28 may be secured to the casing [0; these fins may extend between the front and back of the casing.

When large ice tray capacity is desired, an arrangement such as that shown in Fig. 1 may be employed. As shown in that figure, suitable supports 29 of U-shaped form may be made of sheet metal or the like and may be secured at each side of the cooler.

Fig. 6 more particularly illustrates one of the U-shaped supports 29. This support has an outer wall with a flange adapted to be secured as by screws to the corresponding lateral extension 24 of the cooler. The inner wall of the support 29 is provided with flanged portions to be secured, as by soldering, to respectively the front extension 24 of the cooler, the front inclined wall l2 of the casing 10, a side wall H of the casing and the rear wall I3 thereof. Each of the supports 29 provides a shelf to receive an ice tray 30 dieposed at the side of casing l0. To aid the fiow of heat to the refrigerant within the cooler, auxiliary fins 33 are secured as by soldering to the outer wall of each support 29.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a sheet metal shield or shroud 35 may be arranged in front of and above the cooler, this shield being secured to the cooler in any desired manner and providing an upper closure 36 which may conveniently be in the form ofa door having its lower edge connected by hinges 31 (one of which is shown in Fig. l) to the body portion of the shield. This lower edge of the door may be in the region of the front edge of the front ledge 24 so that when the door isopened and swung downwardly, ice trays may readily he slid onto the plate i and the coplanar surfaces of ledges 24. The-shield may also be provided with small openings to receive closures 38 which afford access to the tray-containing spaces provided by the supports 29.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cooler may be conveniently disposed somewhatbelow the upper wall 40 of the food compartment which is indicated in dot and dash lines, while the cooler may be spaced from the side walls of the food com- N:

partment.

When the cooler is incorporated in a refrigerating apparatus such as that disclosed in copending application No. 171,325, the body of liquid refrigerant within the cooler will be arranged to provide a surface at substantially the level indicated by the dot and dash line S of Fig. 4.

When the system is in operation refrigerant vapor will be drawn through the large diametered outlet pipe l6, evaporation occurring at the surface S. The openings 6 in the fins 4 permit the ready flow of the refrigerant from all portions of the surface of evaporation to the pipe it while the shorter fins adjoining the head 15 also aid in permitting the ready flow of the vapor: Thermosiphonic circulation of air takes place in the food compartment, the warmer air rising and being cooled by the evaporator in the upper portion of the compartment, the fins 26 and 33 aiding this effect.

A large diametered-drain I5 is connected to the lower part of the casing member II to receive sludge which may collect in the cooler for any reason and to supply liquid refrigerant to the cooler. It is evident that the casing member is Hit aaoeieco provided with. inclined walls arranged so" that any sludge tending to settle inthe cooler may run down these walls-to the drain. The arrange ments for breaking up sludgethus drained from the cooler is fully' described in copending application No. 171,325.

A sheet metal shield 60 may be secured to the drain 45 as shown for example inl igs. 1 and 2. This shield may comprise a slotted plate 6|, fitting over the drain in straddling relation thereto and may include a smaller plate 62 providing an opening through which the drain extends. The plate 6| maybe secured to the plate 52 by rivets or the like. The shield 80 preferably is disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the'direction of extent of'the drain 45. The lower end of this shield may conveniently lie just above the rear portion of a tray or drip pan 55' arranged to receive condensate from the cooler and the pipe 45. When, for example, the cooler is being defrosted, the liquid which results from the defrosting of products of condensation on the cooler may drain into the pan 65.

- Some of this liquid may run down pipe 45. The

densate is prevented from running down over the rear wall of the compartment.

When a cooler providing a smaller ice cube capacity is desired the supports 29' may be omitted and a cooler of the type shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be employed. In general this cooler has its parts arranged in the same general manner as has been described and such parts are identified by reference numerals corresponding to those used in Figs. 1 to 4. However, with this form of cooler the fins on the casing Ill may extend transversely for the full. width of the casing and these fins are identified in Figs. 8 and 9 by reference character 26a.

The arrangement of the internal fins 4, 4a,

4b, and 4c efiectivelyrcooperates with the arrangement of the spacer bars 5 and of the spacer elements 511 in affording a very efiective reinforcement for the plate I. Accordingly when a refrigerating system including a coolerof the 'type disclosed herein is being tested, the system may be subjected to a relatively high internal pressure without appreciable buckling of the plate I. It is furthermore evident thatthe arrangement of the openings 6 and of thecut-- away or shorter fins 4 allows the ready flow of refrigerant vapor to the outlet 16. These openings and cut-away portions, however, are so arranged that the reinforcement of the plate I is not substantially impaired. It will be noted that spacer bars 5 extend transversely of the fins 4 at each side of the openings 6 Fig. 3 so that the plate I is effectively reinforced in the region of these openings.

the bracing structure confining these fins to the parts 5 and 5a is practically coextensive with the plate.

Fig. 10 discloses -an optional ledge arrangement which may be employed with a casing I0 and a plate I of the class disclosed. In this form of invention ledges 24a; (one of which isshown in Fig. 10) maybe formedof zinc or the like in the manner previously described. However, in this form of invention the ledges 24a 'may extend up- I wardly above the plate'l and may be connected y an integral met-a1 portion 124, and the ledges may also extend downwardly into engagement with the inclined wall portions of the casing l0.

Thus, each of the ledges 24a and upper plate portion I24 may be cast from zinc orthe like in a structurally simple cooler assembly which may be readily manufactured and which permits emcient transfer of heat from ice trays and from the surrounding air to the body of the refrigerant contained in the cooler, and also permits the drainage of a relatively heavy sludge from the cooler. I

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims. a

I claim: f

l. Cooler of the class described comprising a top plate with parallel dependingfins, a casing member having the upper margins of its walls connected to the plate to'c'ooperate therewith in defining a chamber in which the fins are located, the casing member having opposite walls inclining downwardly from said margins at acute angles to the plane-of said plate and at an obtuse angle to each other, and spacer members securedto the-lower parts of the fins and bridg ing the spaces therebetween.

2. Cooler of the class. described comprising a top plate with parallel depending fins, a casing member having the upper margins of its walls extending transversely of the planes ofthe firstnamed fins.

3. Cooler of the class described comprising a a chamber in which the fins are located, the

casing member havingopposite wall portions inclined at. acute anglest'o the plane of said plate, .and depending frames disposed exteriorly of the inclined walls to afford supports for ice trays.

A cooler of the classdescribed comprising a chamber for containing a body. of liquid'refrigerant, said chamber being providedwith a vapor duct to receive vapor from the surface of said liquid body, said chamber also being provided with a downwardly inclined drain connected to the lowermost part of the chamber, the chamber providing inclined walls down which relatively heavy sludge may flow into said drain, and'a deflector secured to said drain in spaced relation to said cooler to catch condensate running down the outer surface of said drain and to deflect said condensate into a drip. pan below the cooler.

5. A cooler providing a'chamber to contain a body of refrigerant, an inclined duct extending downwardly from the cooler at a substantial angle to a horizontal plane, and a deflector secured to-said duct in spaced relation to the cool-' er, said deflector being arranged to catch condensate draining down the outer surface of said duct and to deflect said condensate into a drip pan below the'cooler.

6.v A cooler of the class described providing 'a chamber to contain a body of liquid-refrigerant, said cooler including an upper plate and a' lower casing, said casing being provided by a sheet metal stamping providing inclined walls secured to the marginal portions of the plate, one wall of the casing having a pressed-out portion inclining upwardly and away from the remainder of the wall so that the upper part of said pressedout portion is spaced outwardly of the corresponding edge portion of the plate, and a head member secured to the upper part of the pressedout portion and providing a duct connection which affords a vapor outlet for the cooler.

7. A cooler of the class described comprising an upper substantially rectangular plate, a casing member having marginal portions secured to the plate and having opposite inclined walls so that the casing member cooperates with the plate in giving the cooler the general form of an inverted pyramid, one of the walls of the casing member having an outwardly pressed portion which communicates with a hollow head disposed above the plane of the plate and outwardly of the corresponding edge thereof, and a vapor duct connection extending from said head.

8. A cooler of the class described comprising a chamber for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with a vapor duct to receive vapor evaporated from the surface of said refrigerant body, said chamber having an upper wall provided with depending fins, said fins having openings in the region of said wall to permit intercommunication of the spaces a between the fins when the lower edges of the fins are immersed in said body of liquid refrigerant, whereby the fins may facilitate the flow of heat from the wall to the surface of evaporation but whereby they do not substantially impede the Y flow of vapor to said duct.

9. A cooler of the class described comprising a chamber for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with a vapor duct to receive vapor evaporated from the surface of said refrigerant body, said chamber having an upper wall provided with depending fins, said fins having openings in the region of said wall to permit intercommunication of the spaces between the fins when the lower edges of the fins are immersed in said body of liquid refrigerant, certain fins having cut-away portions adjoining said vapor duct, whereby the fins may facilitate the flow of heat from the wall to the surface of evaporation, but whereby they do not substantially impede the flow of vapor to said duct.

10. A cooler of the class described comprising a chamber for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with a vapor duct to receive vapor evaporated from the surface of said refrigerant body, said chamber having an upper wall provided with depending fins, and elements bridging the spaces between lower parts of the depending fins to cooperate therewithin affording a rigid reinforcement for said wall to oppose buckling of the wall.

11 A cooler of the class described comprising a. chamber .for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with a vapor duct to receive vapor evaporated from the surface of said refrigerant body, said chamber having an upper wall provided with reinforcing structure disposed within the chamber and reinforcing the wall against buckling, said structure being substantially coextensive with said wall and including mutually connected elements, certain of said elements extending substantially aa'qaeoe transversely of other of said elements, certain of said elements being in the form of heat conductors arranged to have their lower margins immersed in said liquid body.

12. A cooler of the class described comprising a chamber for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with a vapor duct to receive vapor evaporated from the surface of said refrigerant body, said chamber having an upper wall provided with reinforcing structure disposed within the chamber and reinforcing the plate against buckling, said structure being substantially coextensive with said wall and including elements, certain of which extend substantially transversely of others of said elements, certain of said elements being in the form of fins arranged to have their lower margins immersed in said liquid body, said elements being arranged so that flow of vapor from all parts of the upper surface of said liquid body is permitted by said structure.

13. A cooler of the class described comprising a relatively shallow chamber for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, said chamber being provided with an upper wall affording a planar surface for receiving trays, said wall having extensions projecting laterally and forwardly from said chamber to afford continuations of said planar surface, a plurality of fins in said chamber depending from said upper wall, a drain connected to the lowermost portion of the chamber, the chamber having four lower walls with similar inclinations downwardly toward said drain and arranged to provide the chamber with substantiallythe form of an inverted pyramid,

exterior fins on certain of said lower walls, and an outlet duct connection to receive vapor from the upper part of said cooler.

14. A cooler of the class described comprising a casing for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, a vapor duct connection through which vapor may be drawn from the surface of said liquid, a drain connected to the lowermost part of the cooler to receive sludge therefrom, the casing having a lower wall area for underlying the entire contained body of liquid refrigerant, substantially all of the surface portions of said area inclining downwardly toward the drain, certain of said surface portions being inclined in different directions, the last-named portions being so disposed relative to each other that said area is substantially free of pockets in which sludge might collect.

15. A cooler of the class described comprising a casing for containing a body of liquid refrigerant, a vapor duct connection through which vapor may be drawn from the surface of said liquid, a drain connected to the lowermost part of the cooler to receive sludge therefrom, the casing having lower wall portions adapted to underlie substantially all of the liquid refrigerant, there being two of said wall portions which are opposite each other and which are inclined downwardly toward the drain, there being another of said portions between said two portions and also inclined downwardly toward the drain, the major part of each of said portions having an inclination of more than 25 to the horizontal, the entire lower part of the cooler being arranged substantially to prevent pocketing of sludge and to facilitate downward movement of sludge to the drain.

LYMAN F. WHITNEY.

till 

